Beetlejuice

Over the river and through the woods…

We went to Karen’s friends’ home for a Christmas party! Karen is such a schmooze – she gets invited to so many cool parties! Luckily her friends are awesome and welcoming and we were invited to two of them : )

Tracy and Clayton live way out in the beautiful Virginia [snow covered] countryside – about 45 minutes from Charlottesville.

Breathe in the country air!

Once we arrived, there was a gorgeous spread of food set out in the setting of their historic home.

I filled my plate with veggies, grapes, cheese + crackers, poached salmon in dill sauce (MY FAV!) shrimp, and baked brie

Went back for a few seconds on the good stuff

Tracy had hot cider that tasted so good on a cold day

Especially when spiked with a splash of whiskey!

We enjoyed lots of fireside chats

Before hitting up the dessert table…er piano!

Sorry to the piano lovers for two days of piano tables!

There was dried fruit, chocolates, coffee cake, fruit cake and cookies galore

I shared a plate with Matt – 3/4 for me, 1/4 for him! My favorite was most definitely the Rum Coconut Ball at the 12 O’clock there –

And the bite of molasses cookie that almost didn’t get photographed!

I sipped on some of Matt’s nog that Tracy made from scratch

Karen sporting the Christmas spirit ~

Two parties down, one to go! And then there’s also Christmas and our annual post-Christmas visit to Bald Head Island!!

Once we returned from our trip, Matt and I stole the last few moments of sunset and went for a walk to UVA and back.

Where does Beetlejuice come in?

Here!

A nice tofu + purple slurple cabbage soup!

Beetlejuice Cabbage Soup

Ingredients

• 4 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup brown rice
• 1/2 head purple cabbage, chopped
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 bunch bok choy head, chopped
• 8 oz Twin Oaks tofu, spinach jalapeno tofu (or just whatever you have!)
• 1 tbsp salt (our broth was salt-free)
• Black pepper to taste
• Red pepper flakes to taste

Method

• Add broth, rice, carrots, celery and bring to boil. Reduce to simmer on medium low for 10 minutes.
• Add cabbage and bok choy stalks. Cook for 15 more minutes.
• Add bok choy leaves, tofu and seasoning cook 5 more minutes.

Serves 4-6

It was fresh and delish!

Tomorrow, I am going to Baltimore to visit my grandmother for her birthday on Monday! It’s a quick there-and-back-again trip, but requires the usual out of town planning this evening like packing, lunch packing, etc.

Then I shall read. We’re reading The Raw Shark Texts for our Bald Head Book Club and I am just barely into the book with a week to go!